P R E F A C E.
f e
^ t o r can now congratulate his readers and himfelf, on having brought
this work to a conclufion. He expected to have done fo, at a much more
early date. Unforefeen difficulties arofe to prevent the accomplifhment of his deftgn*.
The heft apology for this delay, is to point out fome of the principal i m provements
that it was found requifite to make to the original publication, and which
have principally occafioned the tardinefs of the editor in fulfilling his engagements.
In the article of Poland, befides numerous corrections in point of ftyle, and the
omiilion, or emendation of many exceptionable paflages, the hiftory of the eftablifhment
of the new conflitution in 1791, a
n d its fubfequent overthrow, have been
newly written for the prefent edition. The eflay on Greek literature, in the fucceeding
article, has alfo been added, and another, on a fimilar fubjecr,, under the head of
"Turkey in Afia. W i t h refpecr. to the internal adminiftration of the Ottoman empire,
and the domeftic manners of its people, fome interefting details have been borrowed
from Baron de Tott, and M . de Peyfonnel. The article of Tartary in Afia will alfo be
found confiderably improved. T o that of China large additions have been fubjoined,
and in particular, belides other heads, under thofe of population and literature. India
within the Ganges has, among other additions, an article extending to twelve pages, on
the adminiftration of the Britifh Eaft-India Company. The hiftory, under the fame
head, being eight pages, is, a few paragraphs excepted, entirely new. T o the fates of
Barbary there has been added a new article on their hiftory. The united ftates of
America occupy from p. 2 4 3 , to p. 5 8 0 , inclufive, in the prefent volume. It was noticed,
in the preface to vol. I. that the account given by Guthrie was altogether trifling.
It has been entirely laid afide. Under this head, though the editor has exerted
himfelf to the utmoft for obtaining authentic materials, he is fenftble that his account
is at a very great diftance from perfect accuracy. The rev. Jedidiah Morfe, author of
the Univerfal Geography, has furnifhed the principal part of it. T o render it as
complete as poftible, application has been made to gentlemen refiding in different
ftates ; and to their affiftance the work is indebted for many interefting particulars
that have not hitherto been publifhed.
F r o m the multiplicity of fubjecls that are to be examined, and the multiplicity of
opinions that arife upon every fubjecT:, it becomes a talk of the greateft delicacy to
* O n e reafon for the delay has been, that the work has extended to fifty-fix numbers, inftead of
forty-eight, which were originally propofed. The eight extra, numbers have been delivered gratis
to the fubfcriberS; agreeably to engagement.